Musical and math reinforcing game

ABSTRACT

A method of playing cards using a specialized deck of cards in which mathematical and musical equations are used to solve and determine card ranks while playing any conventional card games. With the musical playing cards the card suits are categorized by instrument families, and Note values are based on Time Signatures where the quarter note receives one beat (e.g. Time Signatures 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4). The player determines the card value (2-10) by solving the equation. The math cards are similar but contain math equations to sharpen and reinforce mathematic skills by solving equations. Any known card game that can be played with regular playing cards can be played with either illustrated deck.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application derives priority from U.S. provisional application No. 61/211,286 filed 27 Mar. 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to games that reinforce educational concepts with play value and, more particularly, to a method of playing card games using a specialized deck of cards in which mathematical and musical equations are used to solve and determine card ranks while playing any conventional card games.

(2) Description of Prior Art

Educators and children agree that learning can and should be fun. However, there are few actual class lessons that attain this goal. On the contrary, most class lessons are built on the two-step premise of “working” and then receiving a “fun” reward after the work is done. It would be much more advantageous to fuse playtime and learning into one activity. Students would become more productive in school and desire to learn more. Some educational card games have been developed to help teach children music and arithmetic, such as flash cards, instruction books, mathematical games, etc. Unfortunately, flash cards and instruction books have very little play value, and are often complex and require assistance.

Though math card games exist, they require both students and educators to learn an entirely new and complex ruleset. This limits the types of “prior knowledge” games children can play, as well as creates another obstacle during class instruction. The instructor must take some time to teach the concept of the game before actual game play takes place.

Thus, while some prior educational games are interesting, they are too complex, difficult to use, uninteresting and/or not fun and, and therefore do not successfully accomplish teaching children music or arithmetic. It would be greatly advantageous to provide an educational card game that uses a specialized deck of cards that compels mental dexterity during play, but only for the purpose of ascertaining card suits and values and not for the rules of the game itself. This would allow kids to play traditional card games that they already know such as “Go Fish” and “War”, imposing musical or arithmetic calculations in the process. Consequently, all the time that would otherwise be spent teaching new rules of play can instead be devoted to the concepts which are specifically relevant to the lesson. The inventor herein describes an educational game which accomplishes the foregoing objectives and overcomes most, if not all, of the preceding problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved educational game that is fun, interesting, and effective for children (and adults) to learn both music and arithmetic.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention is a card game that uses a specialized deck of cards in which mathematical and musical equations are used to solve and determine card ranks while playing any conventional card games.

The musical (e.g. “Notes”) cards are playing cards bearing musical math equations to sharpen and reinforce music reading & notation skills while playing any existing favorite card games. The Notes cards can be used like regular playing cards and any game that can be played with traditional playing cards can instead be played with the Notes cards. Rather than traditional card suits (Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, Clubs), the Notes card suits are categorized by instrument families (Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, Percussion). In addition, rather than traditional non-face card values (2-10), the Note card non-face values are based on musical Time Signatures where the quarter note receives one beat (e.g. Time Signatures 2/4, 3/4, & 4/4). The player must determine the card value by solving the equation.

Similarly, the mathematical (e.g. “Equations”) cards are playing cards bearing math equations to sharpen and reinforce math comprehension while playing any existing favorite card games. Rather than traditional card suits (Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, Clubs), the Equations card suits are categorized by mathematical symbols (+: Addition; −: Subtraction; /: Division; ×: Multiplication). In addition, rather than traditional non-face card values (2-10), the Equations non-face card values are based on equations representative of the suit, and the players must determine the card value by solving the equation. One skilled in the art will readily understand that the Equations card suits may be characterized by more complex mathematical operators/symbols, such as squared, square root, integrals, derivatives, etc. (more than the four primary symbols +, −, /, ×) without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

For purposes of illustration, Flat 7 is an exemplary card game using the Notes cards where players try to get rid of all of their cards. Players may discard their hands by matching suit colors or numerical values with last card in the discarded pile. If a player does not benefit from this option, they may pick a card from the deck.

Elements is a game similar to Flat 7 but using the Equations cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and certain modifications thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 displays three different cards all with a uniform back (at A) and three different card faces (at B, C, D) from the Notes card deck.

FIG. 2 displays three alternative player hands illustrative of three different card faces from the musical card deck of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 displays two player hands illustrative of three different card faces from the Equations card deck.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a card game that uses a specialized deck of cards in which mathematical and musical equations are used to solve and determine card ranks while playing any conventional card games.

The game uses a specialized deck of cards in which mathematical and musical equations are used to solve and determine card ranks while playing any conventional card games. Specifically, card suits are categorized by musical or mathematical families, and card values are represented by musical or math equations, respectively, the combination requiring subject-matter specific mental dexterity while playing any card game to sharpen and reinforce music reading & notation skills. The playing cards can be used like regular playing cards, and any game playable with regular playing cards can be played.

Specifically, in the musical (Notes) cards, card suits are categorized by instrument families (for example, brass, woodwinds, string and percussion) and each card of each family (suit) bears a representative instrument from that family. Thus, traditional card suits such as spades, diamonds, hearts, clubs are replaced by brass, woodwinds, string, and percussion, in each case represented graphically on the cards by an instrument from that corresponding family (for example, trumpet, clarinet, violin, piano, respectively). Assuming thirteen cards per suit each card preferably illustrates a different instrument from that family. For example, the percussion suit may include a snare drum, cymbal, piano, bongo, etc.). In addition, all non-face card values are based on time signatures where the quarter note receives one beat (e.g. time signatures 2/4, 3/4, & 4/4). The time signature (also known as “meter signature”) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and what note value constitutes one beat. Simple time signatures comprise two numbers, one above the other: 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4. The lower number indicates the note value which represents one beat (the “beat unit”), the upper number indicates how many such beats there are in a bar. For instance, 2/4 means two quarter-note (crotchet) beats; 3/8 means three eighth-note (quarter) beats. The most common simple time signatures are 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4. A mathematical equation based on a time signature is shown on the cards themselves, appearing as a sequence of musical notes and math operators. The players are told in advance (such as by the directions provided with the game) that the deck is based on a particular time (for example, 4/4 time . . . the bottom number 4 being most important). In this case, the quarter note is worth one beat. Contrarily, if the time signature was 4/8, with the bottom number being 8, then the quarter note would be worth 2 beats. The player must determine the card value (2-10) by solving the equation based on the time signature. The assigned time signature determines what time signature is represented by the illustrated sequence of musical notes.

The concept is extended for improvement of mathematical skills with math (Equations) cards in which card suits are categorized by mathematical symbols (for example, +: Addition; −: Subtraction; /: Division; ×: Multiplication). In addition, rather than traditional face card values (2-10), the Equations card values are based on equations representative of the suit, and the players must determine the card value by solving the equation.

FIG. 1 displays three different cards all with a uniform back (at A) and three different card faces (at B, C, D) from the Notes card deck. Two different cards from the string suit are shown (B & D) and one from the brass suit (C). Each of the other cards of the deck, excluding face cards (Kings, Queens etc.) have similar conceptual features, albeit displaying different suits (four instrument families), different instruments within each family (suit) and different numbers (time signatures). Specifically, each card has a face 37 and a back 35. A central portion of each face 37 bears a graphical representation of an instrument belonging to the instrument family representing the suit to which that card is assigned. Thus, for example, the card at (B) belongs to the string suit and a violin is depicted. The assigned suit may optionally be spelled out in the top right and bottom left corners, in fine print for purposes described below. There are four suits and four instrument families, for example, brass, woodwinds, string, and percussion, and each card face 37 bears a graphical representation of an instrument belonging to the instrument family representing the suit to which that card is assigned. Thus, for example, the string suit may include a guitar, violin, viola, cello, double bass, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and harp. The woodwinds suit identifiers may include an Oboe, Clarinet and Saxophone; the percussion suit identifiers may include Conga drums, a piano, and Bass drum; and the brass suit identifiers may include a Tuba, French Horn, and Trumpet, etc.

At the top-left and bottom-left corners of the face 37 of each card, each Note card non-face value 40 is based on a musical Time Signature where the quarter note receives one beat (e.g. Time Signatures 2/4, 3/4, & 4/4). A measure of notes is depicted, separated by math operators in the form of a musical equation, and players must determine each card value by solving the musical equation as described below.

FIG. 2 displays three alternative player Note hands (B, C, D) illustrative of three different card faces from the musical card deck of FIG. 1.

At the top-left and bottom-left corners of the face 37 of each card, the numerical value of each note is expressed as follows: quarter note=1, half note=2, eighth notes=3, and whole note=4. Thus, in FIG. 2 (C) the top card held by player 1 is a three (4−1) of the percussion suit, whereas the top card held by player 2 of the brass suit is a seven (2×2)+(2+2). All card values corresponding to Aces, Kings, Queens, And Jacks are represented as shown for the dealers (B) at 50 similar to conventional cards by a corresponding royalty character printed at the center of the face 37. Preferably, the clothing of each of the face cards (and the jokers), is detailed with designs and symbols related to music: Treble Clef, Bass Clef, C Clef, 2 over 4 and 4 over 4 time signatures, Piano dynamics marking symbols, forte dynamics marking symbols, and Fermata signs, etc.

In addition, offset from the center of the face 37 of each royalty card, a card suit 55 instrument appears.

One skilled in the art should understand that the same concept may be applied despite different instrument families, instruments, musical time signatures, and notes or values 40. In order to play any traditional card game players are compelled to convert the notational symbol (i.e. quarter note) into its numerical value either on paper or cognitively. Once the conversion from notational symbols to numerical values has taken place, players solve the time signature equation to obtain the final numerical value of each card (2-10). Using this combination of values along with the mathematical order of operations, players reinforce their knowledge of note values, as well as their knowledge of the mathematical order of operations. Again, in cases where there is more than one operation to perform (i.e. multiplication, addition, subtraction, etc.) the mathematical order of operations should be followed.

If desired, the suit identifiers may be further broken down to include instrument sub-types. For example, the woodwind instruments may include clarinets, and the clarinet sub-types of instruments (e.g., alto and bass clarinets), flutes and its sub-types, saxophones and its sub-types, Oboe, and Bassoon, etc. Each of these instruments from the woodwind family, as well as others not mentioned, may be representative of the woodwind suit. Thus, for example, as seen at FIG. 1(B) at 65, each suit identifier may be grouped together with other instrument icons representing the sub-types of each family in a much smaller form than the main instrument of the card. These suit identifiers 65 are small enough to fit under the beginning note(s) or number(s) of the equation and are visually accessible when the cards are held for regular game play. They are used specifically for game play to easily identify suits because the family names of nearly all the hand held cards will not be visible. This compels players to familiarize themselves with instrument types, subtypes, names and families. In some cases, there may be more cards in a suit than there are instruments in a family. However, instruments from the same family may be reused on different numbered cards if need be.

As mentioned above, the assigned suit may optionally be spelled out in the top right and bottom left corners, such that the name of each depicted instrument is printed next to the instrument suit family. Preferably, the instrument print is very fine (10 pt or scripted font) and not readily noticeable, by design. The purpose of placing the instrument name in small print is to give the player an opportunity to visually identify the instrument, before viewing the answer.

The above-described Notes playing cards can be used like regular playing cards, and any game playable with regular playing cards can be played. No matter the game, the cards sharpen and reinforce music notation skills during game play.

The same above-described concept can be extended to provide a set of mathematical (Equations) playing cards wherein the card suits are categorized by mathematical symbols, and card values by equations, and the player determines the card value (2-10) by solving an equation represented in the corner(s) of the card. Equations can be solved, obeying the normal rules of any math equation. In cases where there is more than one operation to perform (i.e. multiplication, addition, subtraction, etc.) the mathematical order of operations should be followed.

FIG. 3 displays two player hands illustrative of three different card faces from the Equations card deck.

Each card has a face 28 and a back 30. At the top-right and bottom-left corners of the face 28 of each card, all card values corresponding to values 2-10 appear represented by an unsolved mathematical equation. For example, the numerical value may be expressed as follows: “3×2=”, or “8+2=”. In cases where there is more than one operation to perform (i.e. multiplication, addition, subtraction, etc.) the mathematical order of operations should be followed. All card values corresponding to aces, kings, queens, and jacks are still represented at 27 similar to conventional cards by a corresponding royalty character printed at the center of the face 28.

In addition, at the center of the face 28 of each card (or proximate thereto for royalty cards), a mathematical operator 25 appears. The mathematical operators 25 may be categorized by four families of math corresponding to four suits, which include but are not limited to: multiplication, addition, division, subtraction. This compels players to familiarize themselves with math operations and families. Note that the suit to which the mathematical operator 25 corresponds is also spelled out in fine diagonal print in the background of each card, overlayed by its corresponding operator symbol 25 at the center of each card. Printing the class of each operator in small print in the background gives the player an opportunity to visually identify the card suit from the operator 25, before viewing the answer. Again, the above-described playing cards can be used like regular playing cards, and any game playable with regular playing cards can be played. No matter the game, the cards sharpen and reinforce math reading skills during game play. In order to play any card game players are compelled to convert the equation to obtain the final numerical value of each card, which represents the value of the card. Using this combination of values along with the mathematical order of operations, players reinforce their knowledge of math equations, and the mathematical order of operations. Once the equation is solved and the card value is determined, game play can continue as normal. In the presently-preferred embodiment the suit of the card identifies with the type of mathematical equation to be performed to determine that card's value: all of the addition family cards are solved via the use of addition; similarly, all of the subtraction family cards are solved via the use of subtraction. One skilled in the art should understand that other operators may be used that don't necessarily correspond with the suit. For example, the addition suit may use division and subtraction as operations as an alternative to or supplement to addition. The face cards may use small suit identifiers along with the actual suit name embedded in the background of the card. Additionally, face cards may use geometric symbols to indicate card value. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, face cards may display geometric symbols to indicate their ranking in the following manner: Circle-Jack, Triangle-Queen, Square-King.

Examples of Play

As an example of a particular card game using the musical Notes playing cards, in a Flat 7 game players try to get rid of all of their cards. Players may discard their hands by matching suit colors or numerical values with the last card in the discarded pile. If a player does not benefit from this option, they may pick a card from the deck.

Elements is a game similar to Flat 7 but using the math Equation cards.

The well-known card game War entails collecting more cards from the deck than your opponent. The player obtaining the most cards at the end of the game wins. Cards are won by each player picking the top card from their deck and then placing it face up to compare it to other opponents. The player with the highest ranking card wins that hand and collects all of the cards of that round.

The known card game Black Jack can also be played with the either music Notes or math Equations card decks. The object of this game is to obtain the highest hand of cards without receiving a hand higher than 21: also known as a “Bust”. Each card must be calculated, and then each hand must be added together to determine who has obtained or come closest to a value of 21 without going over “busting”. In all such examples, the novel card structure compels cognitive processing at each turn that reinforces educational concepts with play value, relying on the player's mathematical and musical ability to recognize suits and solve equations to determine card ranks, all in the context of any conventional card game.

Having now fully set forth the preferred embodiment and certain modifications of the concept underlying the present invention, various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concept. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth in the appended claims. 

1. A deck of playing cards including a plurality of cards categorized in a plurality of card suits, each card suit corresponding to an instrument family and including a number of face cards and a number of non-face cards, all of the non-face cards within each suit displaying a graphic depiction of an instrument within the corresponding instrument family, and all of said non-face cards displaying a musical time signature equation comprising any two or more from among the group including sixteenth notes, quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, and dotted notes, separated by math operators, whereby a player must solve the musical time signature equation and determine the instrument family of the displayed instrument to ascertain the card value and suit of each card.
 2. The deck of playing cards according to claim 1, wherein said face cards comprise Aces, Kings, Queens, And Jacks each represented by a royalty character appearing on a face of said cards.
 3. The deck of playing cards according to claim 1, further comprising four different cards suits represented by four different instrument families.
 4. The deck of playing cards according to claim 3, wherein said four different instrument families include brass, woodwinds, string, and percussion.
 5. The deck of playing cards according to claim 4, wherein all cards corresponding to the string suit include a graphical representation of any one of a guitar, violin, viola, cello, double bass, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and harp.
 6. The deck of playing cards according to claim 4, wherein all cards corresponding to the woodwinds suit include a graphical representation of any one of an Oboe, Clarinet and Saxophone.
 7. The deck of playing cards according to claim 4, wherein all cards corresponding to the brass suit include a graphical representation of any one of a Tuba, French Horn, and Trumpet.
 8. A deck of playing cards including a plurality of cards categorized in a plurality of card suits, each card suit corresponding to a mathematical concept and including a number of face cards and a number of non-face cards, all of the non-face cards within each suit displaying a graphic depiction of a math operator corresponding to said mathematical concept, and all of said non-face cards displaying a mathematical equation employing said math operator and said mathematical concept, whereby a player must solve the mathematical equation and determine the mathematical concept of the displayed math operator to ascertain the card value and suit of each card.
 9. A method of playing cards using a deck of playing cards as claimed in claim 8, comprising the steps of: shuffling said deck of playing cards; dealing a plurality of hands of said playing cards; determining the card suits and values of all the cards in at least one of said hands by solving the mathematical equations on said cards and determining the mathematical concepts associated with the math operators displayed on said cards to ascertain the card value and suit of each card.
 10. A method of playing cards using a deck of playing cards in which all cards are categorized in a plurality of card suits, and each card suit corresponds to an instrument family and includes a number of face cards and a number of non-face cards, all of said non-face cards displaying a musical time signature equation comprising a plurality of notes from among the group including sixteenth notes, quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, and dotted notes, each said note being separated by a math operator, comprising the steps of: shuffling said deck of playing cards; dealing a plurality of hands of said playing cards; determining the card suits and values of all the cards in at least one of said hands by solving the musical time signature equations on said cards.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein each card suit corresponds to an instrument family and each card displays a representative instrument belonging to said instrument family, and further comprising the step of determining the instrument family of each card by associating the displayed instrument on said card to its instrument family in order to ascertain the suit of said card. 